A Christmas Karen

As a fan of Christmas Carol stories, but having a harsh hatred of Karens, I was curious going into this one how I was going to enjoy it. I really did overall! The cast had a lot of fun with it, and it's a very modern take on the classic tale. It had quite a few laugh out loud sequences while also tugging at the heartstrings at the right moments. It really completes the gambit of an emotional rollercoaster, all wrapped up in a Christmas bow. I think this will definitely fair better with an older audience, who might be exhausted at the amount of Carol options on streaming. But for sure, there are a lot of "Karens" out there who could take a lesson from this one!

This is a long movie. It feels like it takes a long time to get through it for what it is, its premise and story and all.

But that being said, it's not horrible.

There are a couple of times that I actually chuckled.

Out loud and genuinely.

The lead actress is actually quite good in her role as the title character.

This feels a step above a direct to dvd type film. To me, it almost feels like one of those Hallmark Channel Christmas movies.

It has that look.

Maybe that was its goal?

Other actors who play the ghosts are decent as well.

You see, the storyline here follows the same pattern as A Christmas Carol with the Karen being a Scrooge-type character, which makes total sense.

It also makes this less of a one punchline joke of a film more suited for a TikTok video and more of a fully realized film which is good and effective.

But it also forces comparisons to far superior films and their takes on Dickens' classic.

I watched this with zero expectations. It was hilarious! I didn't read any reviews until after I watched it. The only reasons anyone would give it a terrible review would be because they are, themselves, a Karen. The cast was filled with new actors. They did amazing. It was nice to not have to think beyond a Hollywood star to get to the character.

There were many current cultural references which made it relevant. They could have overdone the whole Karen thing but they did a great job balancing the humor with the original story line of the almost 200 year classic story. Who knows if it will become a "must watch" Christmas movie down the road but it sure works for now.

This is a low budget, fun movie. I could see some people being turned off by that fact - the effects are bad, the writing is so so, and the story is obviously just A Christmas Carol with the main character changed out. But what these types of movies offer is carefree fun without ever taking itself too seriously. No 30 minutes of dialogue, needless romance, 'artistic choices', etc that bigger, more expensive projects tend to get into.

That out of the way, it's a really fun movie. It's ridiculous enough to make you laugh a few times, but stays true enough to the original to actually make for a really heartwarming movie that'll have you choking up by the end. And while none of the actors are big stars, they for the most part pull their weight really well.

I wish more would make movies this fun. Highly recommend.

An entitled "Karen" who intimidates and bullies all those around her discovers the meaning of Christmas via three ghosts who show her her past, present and future. I only expected to watch this for a few minutes but found it quite amusing and even touching at times. It's obviously the umpteenth version of Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" with the new cultural icon (Karen) at its center but it's a fun movie despite the well worn plot. Michele Simms is really quite enjoyable as the horrible Karen who might have some good reasons for being so horrible. Rolin Alexis, Leyla Lawrence and Lee Karlinsky are also quite entertaining with their modern takes on the Dickensian ghosts (I particularly liked the portrayal of the ghost of Christmas Yet to Come as a nervous gamer dude who still retains a menacing edge.). It lacks the professional sheen of a big Hollywood release and there are a few awkward moments where the screenplay doesn't quite work but it's been awhile since a movie surprised me and this one definitely did.